28:. While the first round of the playoffs involve the pairing of the first- and fourth-place teams in one contest (whether it be a single game or a series of games) and the second- and third-place teams in the other, a variant of the Shaughnessy playoffs would pair the first- and third-place teams in one semifinal round and the second- and fourth-place teams in the other. In either variant, the winners of the first two games would then compete for the league championship. Some lower-level leagues use a Shaughnessy playoff for purposes of
263:. This system has been abandoned for 2017–18 and beyond in favor of a six-team playoff system identical to that currently used in the Top 14, with only the Pro D2 champion earning automatic promotion and the runner-up advancing to a promotion/relegation playoff with the second-from-bottom Top 14 side. Previously, the pure Shaughnessy system had been used to determine the Top 14 champion, but that league's playoffs expanded to six teams starting in
361:; next four teams play off for the final promotion place. Reserve teams of La Liga clubs are barred from promotion; if any such side occupies a promotion or playoff spot, it is excluded and its place is taken by the next-best team in the standings that is not barred. The same scenario also applies if a reserve team's parent club is relegated from La Liga (with the reserve team being relegated to
388:
conference champions and three "wild cards" advancing. With the addition of three more teams in 2016 (with two of the new entries in
Argentina and Japan), the playoffs now involve eight teams, with four conference champions and four "wild cards". The format was discontinued in the Super Rugby competition for the 2017 season.
133:
has been contested as a four-team knockout tournament, with each team drawn exclusively from one of the league's four divisions. Each "game" is played in a three-on-three format (i.e., three skaters and one goaltender, unless affected by penalties) over a single 20-minute period (the same length of a
35:
Another variant of the
Shaughnessy system exempts a certain number of top teams from the playoffs (usually one to three teams) and instead involves the next four teams in the league standings. This variation is almost always used by a lower-level league for promotion purposes. Typically, the exempted
290:
adopted a
Shaughnessy-style promotion playoff similar to that formerly used by Rugby Pro D2. In the Championship, the bottom eight teams at the end of the league season enter their own single round-robin mini-league, with the top four teams at the end of that phase entering a Shaughnessy playoff for
171:
launched postseason tournaments for both sexes in the 2016–17 season; the top four teams in the regular-season conference standings advance to a
Shaughnessy tournament (also using 1–4 and 2–3 semifinal pairings) at a predetermined site. The winners receive the Ivies' automatic berths in the NCAA
402:(formerly Air New Zealand Cup and ITM Cup) adopted the Shaughnessy format in 2009, after having used an eight-team playoff bracket in its first two seasons in 2007 and 2008. In 2011, the then-ITM Cup split into two divisions, effectively re-creating the three-division system that existed in the
387:
competition, initially featuring teams from
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, used the Shaughnessy format throughout its history as the Super 12 and Super 14, ending in 2010. The competition's expansion to 15 teams as Super Rugby in 2011 saw the playoffs expand to six teams, with three
211:
to determine the team to be promoted to the
Premiership. The Premiership and Championship formats differ only in the number of games contested—the Premiership playoff uses one-off matches, while all matches in the Championship playoff were two-legged. The
291:
the Shield. In League 1, the top team at the end of the league season is automatically promoted to the following season's
Championship. The second- through fifth-place teams then enter a Shaughnessy-style playoff for the second promotion place.
988:
450:
992:
438:
449:
where the higher seed has 1–0 series lead. The winners advance to the best of three finals; it has never been referred to as the "Shaughnessy system" in the country. The
403:
177:
278:, made up primarily of English sides with one from France, adopted a Shaughnessy playoff beginning in 2015. This follows a 22-match home-and-away league season and
173:
71:. After its successful implementation by the International League, the popularity of the new postseason format spread to other baseball leagues, including to the
466:
150:
142:
138:
259:
through the 2016–17 season, with the teams involved being the second- through fifth-placed teams, as the first-place team earned automatic promotion to the
453:(NCAA) adopted it for their basketball tournaments starting in 1998. It has since been adopted to other sports by other collegiate leagues, and in the
126:
343:: Each champion automatically promoted to the National League; next four teams in each division play off for that division's second promotion place.
157:
95:
1036:
216:, launched in autumn 2017 as the new top flight of English women's rugby, uses the same playoff format as the Premiership. The Celtic League in
971:
952:
813:
149:
used a
Shaughnessy playoff (using 1–4 and 2–3 semifinal pairings) to determine its champion. The league expanded its playoffs to six teams in
844:
130:
441:
for its basketball tournaments since 1993. In the semifinals with a #1 vs. #4 and #2 vs. #3 match-ups, the top two seeds possessing the
1014:
454:
146:
20:
is a method of determining the champion of a sports league that is not in a divisional alignment. This format is also known as the
91:
76:
252:
414:
has used the
Shaughnessy system, implemented at the last group stage, to determine the winners of both of its trophies, the
425:, which began play in 2014, uses a Shaughnessy playoff. The country's previous attempt to establish a national league, the
426:
25:
204:
200:
1120:
1115:
928:
422:
283:
862:
891:. Vol. 55, no. 106. Kansas City, Missouri. The Associated Press. January 4, 1935. p. 22 – via
725:
633:
330:
321:: Top two teams automatically promoted to the Championship; next four teams play off for the final promotion place.
906:
264:
233:
935:. Vol. XXI, no. 274. Lafayette, Louisiana. The Associated Press. March 13, 1935. p. 8 – via
327:: Top three teams automatically promoted to League One; next four teams play off for the final promotion place.
29:
1084:
298:
leagues use
Shaughnessy-style playoffs for promotion purposes. Among the countries using such a system are:
287:
411:
406:
era. The playoffs in both the Premiership and Championship divisions use the Shaughnessy system except in
189:
106:
255:, a Shaughnessy-style playoff was used to determine the second of two promotion spots in the second-tier
340:
336:
333:: Champion automatically promoted to League Two; next four teams play off for the final promotion place.
279:
94:, which used the Shaughnessy playoff system in 1949, the last season of the league's existence, and the
884:
362:
98:
minor American football league used the format in five of its championship seasons during that decade.
295:
84:
68:
968:
949:
841:
810:
395:
uses a Shaughnessy playoff to determine the champions of both of its divisions (Premier and First).
354:
302:
21:
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774:
410:
years, in which only the top two teams contest a final. Since its inception in 2007, the amateur
160:
245:
125:
round. A Shaughnessy-style format is used in today's NHL in an entirely different context—since
1125:
554:
348:
196:
80:
50:
36:
top finishers earn automatic promotion and the playoffs determine the final promotion place.
704:
493:
308:
208:
188:
More recently, the Shaughnessy playoff system has been adopted outside of North America. In
167:
conference uses a Shaughnessy playoff for its postseason tournaments for men and women. The
102:
282:
involving the top eight clubs from the home-and-away season. In addition, the second-level
975:
956:
848:
817:
572:
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164:
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54:
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324:
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118:
1109:
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559:
829:
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615:
540:
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429:, also used a Shaughnessy playoff, but was scrapped after its only season in 2007.
399:
275:
271:
256:
241:
72:
61:
24:. It involves the participation of the top four teams in the league standings in a
625:
546:
109:(1942–1967), the circuit adopted a Shaughnessy playoff system (first place
762:
524:
514:
384:
213:
192:
122:
286:
adopted a Shaughnessy playoff for its Championship Shield, and the third-level
503:
392:
168:
989:"The Ivy League Adds Men's, Women's Basketball Tournaments Beginning in 2017"
1037:"Play-off system removed from Greene King IPA Championship from next season"
667:
638:
576:
519:
415:
376:
In rugby union, the Shaughnessy system has been widely used throughout the
959:- Stan Grosshandler, Professional Football Researchers Association (1980)
913:. Vol. 85, no. 34. Abbeville, Louisiana. p. 1 – via
221:
64:
687:
588:
476:
851:– Steven Brainerd, Professional Football Researchers Association (1988)
377:
358:
217:
778:
671:
260:
240:. The Shaughnessy system was replaced by a six-team playoff when two
232:, adopted a system identical to that of the Premiership starting in
236:, the season before that league expanded to include two teams from
869:. Vol. 46, no. 189. Tyler, Texas. p. 8 – via
237:
229:
225:
1085:"French rugby enjoys a popularity boom as it looks to the future"
969:
Nothing Minor About It: The American Association/AFL of 1936-1950
811:
Nothing Minor About It: The American Association/AFL of 1936-1950
380:
countries of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.
90:
In the 1940s, the Shaughnessy system spread to other sports. The
863:"Prexy Gardner Makes Statement on Eve of Opening Texas Season"
195:, the format is currently used to determine the winner of the
991:(Press release). Ivy League. March 10, 2016. Archived from
49:
The Shaughnessy playoff system was implemented in 1933 by
315:; next four teams play off for the final promotion place.
1039:(Press release). Premiership Rugby Limited. 3 March 2017
929:"Larry Gilbert Has Fine Chance to Set New League Record"
978:- Bob Gill, Pro Football Researchers Association (1990)
820:- Bob Gill, Pro Football Researchers Association (1990)
117:
fourth place) in which the paired teams played in a
1059:"Championship: RFU to abolish play-off pool stages"
437:A modified Shaughnessy system has been used by the
439:University Athletic Association of the Philippines
830:International League Governors' Cup Championship
311:: Top two teams automatically promoted to the
248:, bringing it to its current 14-team roster.
8:
357:: Top two teams automatically promoted to
451:National Collegiate Athletic Association
803:
907:"Complete Plans for Evangeline League"
465:As it was used in the playoffs of the
7:
832:- from official AAA baseball website
861:Gardner, J. Alvin (April 9, 1933).
1083:Mortimer, Gavin (18 August 2016).
207:was also used in the second-level
121:with the winners advancing to the
14:
455:Philippine Basketball Association
398:In New Zealand, the professional
404:National Provincial Championship
280:a single round-robin mini-league
950:All-America Football Conference
134:period in a regular NHL game).
119:best-four-of-seven-games series
92:All-America Football Conference
147:National Women's Soccer League
1:
885:"W. L. Discards Split Season"
427:Australian Rugby Championship
113:third place and second place
26:single elimination tournament
467:2008–09 Guinness Premiership
1017:. Premiership Rugby Limited
423:National Rugby Championship
244:sides joined the league in
32:to the next-higher league.
1142:
18:Shaughnessy playoff system
1015:"Aviva Premiership Rugby"
137:From its first season in
123:Stanley Cup championship
867:The Tyler Courier–Times
443:twice to beat advantage
77:Western Baseball League
412:Heartland Championship
107:National Hockey League
391:In South Africa, the
341:National League South
337:National League North
933:The Daily Advertiser
911:Abbeville Meridional
889:The Kansas City Star
842:“It’s a Minor Thing”
447:best of three series
296:association football
96:American Association
85:Southern Association
69:International League
445:, a variant of the
372:Southern Hemisphere
75:in 1933 and to the
22:Argus finals system
1121:Tournament systems
1116:Sports terminology
974:2012-03-26 at the
955:2013-01-19 at the
847:2010-11-27 at the
816:2012-03-26 at the
783:Attendance: 81,601
676:Attendance: 12,638
581:Attendance: 18,850
418:and Lochore Cups.
363:Segunda DivisiĂłn B
253:French rugby union
161:college basketball
995:on March 11, 2016
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81:Evangeline League
51:Frank Shaughnessy
40:History and usage
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355:Segunda DivisiĂłn
309:EFL Championship
209:RFU Championship
103:Original Six era
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331:National League
228:, now known as
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59:Montreal Royals
55:general manager
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180:tournaments.
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131:All-Star Game
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45:North America
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39:
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31:
27:
23:
19:
1092:. Retrieved
1088:
1078:
1067:. Retrieved
1065:. 2012-05-17
1062:
1053:
1041:. Retrieved
1031:
1019:. Retrieved
1009:
997:. Retrieved
993:the original
983:
964:
945:
932:
923:
910:
901:
888:
879:
866:
856:
837:
825:
806:
788:Wayne Barnes
759:
751:
738:
730:
722:
715:London Irish
651:
643:
630:
616:London Irish
551:
537:
529:
511:
464:
436:
421:Australia's
420:
400:Mitre 10 Cup
397:
390:
382:
375:
293:
284:Championship
276:rugby league
272:Super League
269:
257:Rugby Pro D2
250:
187:
155:
136:
114:
110:
100:
89:
73:Texas League
67:team of the
62:minor league
48:
34:
17:
15:
1094:12 February
1089:Rugby World
755:D. Armitage
655:D. Armitage
647:D. Armitage
473:Semi-finals
433:Philippines
385:Super Rugby
214:Premier 15s
203:through to
199:, and from
197:Premiership
193:rugby union
1110:Categories
1069:2012-05-17
798:References
775:Twickenham
692:2009-05-16
606:Harlequins
593:2009-05-09
481:2009-05-09
393:Currie Cup
169:Ivy League
165:Division I
1063:BBC Sport
785:Referee:
577:Leicester
555:Claassens
408:World Cup
87:in 1935.
30:promotion
1126:Playoffs
972:Archived
953:Archived
845:Archived
814:Archived
288:League 1
222:Scotland
141:through
65:baseball
1043:4 March
515:Hipkiss
499:24 – 10
461:Example
378:SANZAAR
359:La Liga
303:England
265:2009–10
246:2017–18
234:2009–10
218:Ireland
205:2016–17
201:2012–13
190:English
178:women's
105:of the
101:In the
57:of the
1021:27 May
779:London
747:Report
710:10 – 9
672:London
634:Hudson
626:Report
611:0 – 17
560:Hooper
547:Report
261:Top 14
184:Europe
163:, one
145:, the
129:, the
83:, and
53:, the
763:Hewat
760:Drop:
742:Dupuy
736:(1/1)
734:Dupuy
728:61' c
726:Crane
694:17:30
684:Final
649:(2/2)
641:75' c
636:52' c
595:17:30
562:57' m
557:46' m
541:Dupuy
535:(3/3)
533:Dupuy
527:69' c
525:Moody
522:38' c
520:Vesty
517:17' c
483:15:00
416:Meads
349:Spain
294:Some
238:Italy
230:Pro14
226:Wales
174:men's
1096:2017
1045:2017
1023:2013
1001:2016
752:Pen:
739:Pen:
731:Con:
723:Try:
652:Pen:
644:Con:
639:Catt
631:Try:
552:Try:
538:Pen:
530:Con:
512:Try:
504:Bath
383:The
339:and
270:The
224:and
176:and
158:NCAA
151:2021
143:2020
139:2013
127:2016
16:The
757:(2)
657:43'
543:51'
274:in
251:In
156:In
115:vs.
111:vs.
1112::
1087:.
1061:.
931:.
909:.
887:.
865:.
777:,
670:,
575:,
469::
351::
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220:,
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1072:.
1047:.
1025:.
1003:.
939:.
917:.
895:.
873:.
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